 On December 13, 2001, the annual meeting of the LASPAU Board of Trustees was held at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Marlene Johnson, executive director and chief executive officer of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, was the featured speaker at a luncheon discussion of study abroad, where the invited guests included Harvard University faculty and administrators in addition to the LASPAU board members. The University has asked LASPAU to draw on its network of individual and institutional contacts in Latin America and the Caribbean to help expand study and research opportunities in the region for Harvard faculty and students.
Johnson is a national spokesperson on international exchanges, representing hundreds of institutions and thousands of professionals in the field. She began her talk by noting that the goal of study abroad is to spark the recognition that different points of view and ways of life exist elsewhere in the world. Commented Johnson, “In the post-September 11 environment, our role is to help students understand how we engage in the world—not just as a nation but as individuals. Our commitment to assisting them in this effort is nothing short of an imperative.”
To provide added insights for Harvard as it assesses its current policies on study abroad, Johnson gave examples of successful models at other institutions. Michigan State University (MSU), for example, is employing goal setting and benchmarking in its effort to extend participation in exchanges to 100% of the student body. To provide initial exposure to other cultures, MSU has increased both foreign language classes and the number of international students on campus. At St. Olaf College in Minnesota, most students study abroad, thanks to a college-wide commitment, faculty engagement, and a general expectation that all students will participate.
Johnson also outlined some of the less-apparent benefits of international experiences. She noted, “Students who participate in long-term study abroad usually define the experience as life changing. This is what happens when we’re outside of our own comfort zone.” Upon return, they usually see an increase in grade point average due to their enhanced focus and the new perspectives they impart to their work. Study abroad contributes to career success in ways that go beyond an honors transcript. Many companies, such as Daimler Chrysler, now view international experience as a prerequisite for employment at a professional level.
As articulated in the rich discussion that followed Johnson’s talk, international experience can be gained in many ways, including short-term research, summer programs, internships, post-graduate work, and even friendships with international students on campus. However, Johnson concluded, the value of long-term immersion in another culture cannot be overlooked and is most likely to contribute to those life-changing moments that arise when it is necessary to confront one’s own limitations and capabilities in an environment in which nothing is familiar.
Fall 2001/Winter 2002 Informativo Content: Ecology Initiative | LASPAU and IIE Collaborate | Seminar Addresses Sustainable Development |
FANTEL Program
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New Kellogg Fellowship Program |
Marlene Johnson |
PAEP Offers Multiple Benefits | New LASPAU Board Members | Trustees Award Recipients | Grantee News | Call for Fulbright Alumni | Informativo Contents
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